Author Topic: Recommend an energy supplier  (Read 2906 times)

tiermat

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Recommend an energy supplier
« on: 01 February, 2021, 01:10:59 pm »
We received an email today saying that our energy supplier ceased trading on 27/1

It has suggested that we go with EDF

No, just no.

Who are good right now? Needs to support smart meters and not be EDF or EON
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

Kim

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Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #1 on: 01 February, 2021, 01:26:52 pm »
I'm using Octopus, who are the only supplier to have successfully extracted data from our smart meters (first installed by nPower, then replaced by Robin Hood because incompatibility, who never got any data from them and misleadingly used estimated readings for years).

Green energy, reasonable prices, and an API that lets you access the smart meter data via the internet.  If you can make reasonable use of it (we can't), they do a tariff that reflects the wholesale price of electricity at 30 minute intervals (it occasionally goes negative on windy nights).  Their website is suspiciously good for accessibility, too.

PM if you (or anyone else) wants a referral code.


I also hear good things about Bulb.

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #2 on: 01 February, 2021, 01:29:57 pm »

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #3 on: 01 February, 2021, 02:33:11 pm »
We've been with SO energy for a while.  No complaints, 100% reneables, and they support all SMETS2 meters already installed (we don't have one yet, so I can't comment on the interface for data).
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #4 on: 01 February, 2021, 02:37:24 pm »
Octopus seem to be good.

I have a friend who uses their Agile tariff and professes to be being paid to take a bath.  He enthusiastically monitors the tariff which is constantly changing and lines up his laundry and emersion heater se to best utilise the cheapest periods.  He has been paid when there is a surplus to use electricity which is the basis of his claim.

I am not sure if mllePB has moved us over yet but they also run a referral programme with financial benefits to existing customers ecommending new customers and those subsequent new customers.

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #5 on: 01 February, 2021, 04:53:51 pm »
Octopus.

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #6 on: 01 February, 2021, 07:41:51 pm »
May I recommend Npower?

No?

Fair enough.
Move Faster and Bake Things

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #7 on: 02 February, 2021, 07:26:26 am »
They'll be moving you onto EDF and I'd highly suggest waiting until that's complete before trying to switch, otherwise there's a chance it'll get buggered up.

Then get the hell out and on to your preferred option...

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #8 on: 02 February, 2021, 07:53:35 am »
They'll be moving you onto EDF and I'd highly suggest waiting until that's complete before trying to switch, otherwise there's a chance it'll get buggered up.

Then get the hell out and on to your preferred option...

That is my understanding of the process, along with an assertion that I won't be charged an exit fee.

We'll wait and see :)
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #9 on: 02 February, 2021, 11:13:36 pm »
Octopus - we’ve all got codes to share, but they are very good.

No lock-ins to any tariff either, so I switched from Go to Agile when I stopped commuting and moved the gas to a new tariff early as the 12 month price fell. Service has always been excellent and the the Chief exec is on Twitter and will respond.

Rust never sleeps

Jaded

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Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #11 on: 03 February, 2021, 12:33:46 am »
We switched to Octopus.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #12 on: 03 February, 2021, 08:27:56 am »
When Tonik when t! ts up last year we were moved to Scottish Power. It was slow but seamless.
I've moved to Avro who were cheaper than Scottish Power but not THE cheapest - I've learned that customer service counts for a lot.
Unfortunately Avro seem to have got my day & night meter readings reversed and dealing with them is becoming a frustratingly slow process. At the moment I can't recommend Avro.
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #13 on: 03 February, 2021, 08:37:23 am »
I'm with Octopus too. My 12-month tariff ends soon, but their standard rate is still competitive. Their customer service is UK-based and efficient. One very minor criticism is that they don't offer an app, AFAIK, so meter readings have be done via the website.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #14 on: 03 February, 2021, 08:44:33 am »
I'm with Octopus too. My 12-month tariff ends soon, but their standard rate is still competitive. Their customer service is UK-based and efficient. One very minor criticism is that they don't offer an app, AFAIK, so meter readings have be done via the website.

Good to know, but Yet Another App on my phone is not a consideration (now I have apps to turn the lights on and off, play music around the house, manage 3 different bank accounts, 2 credit cards and to tell me the weather without looking out of a window, so don't need more!) as I am more than happy to log into a website to upload meter readings.  Having said that the reason we moved from BG was that they expected me to read the meter _every_ month, despite them assuring me, at cutover, that our nPower installed smart meters would work with their systems so we wouldn't need to read the meters.  That and the emails saying "give us your meters readings or else" must have been written by the same people that write the TV License demand letters as they felt really threatening.
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #15 on: 03 February, 2021, 08:59:49 am »
Given the many recommendations for Octopus, I just did a comparison quote on the Octopus website.  I pay £69 a month on SO's "seasonal" SO Alder tarriff.  The estimates from Octopus, based on my last 12 months actual usage, range from £77 to £82 per month.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #16 on: 03 February, 2021, 12:21:13 pm »
I ended up paying quite a bit more with Octopus, but having dealt with both British Gas's and EDF'S awful customer service, I decided to bite the bullet. Having said that, my dual fuel DD is only £32/month.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

robgul

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Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #17 on: 03 February, 2021, 12:35:50 pm »
Under no circumstances consider AVRO Energy . . .  our case is with the Energy Ombudsman . . .  9 months from moving-in with no bills or response to requests for a contract - then a massive over-charge, and still no responses.

Don't laugh - phone - not online, speak to them -  British Gas and they have deals that aren't published - we are in the process of changing to a 12 month fixed dual fuel deal that is about 8% cheaper than ANY of the so-called comparison sites. 


Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #18 on: 06 February, 2021, 12:02:24 am »
British Gas

I'm currently seven months into failing to sort out a transfer into BG of an E7 supply. We started with each meter being set up on their own account, own standing charge, and billed at the day rate. We've moved to them on a combined account, but the direct debit cancelled and each meter still with their own standing charge and billed at the day rate. Now it appears the meter serial numbers aren't recognised on the supplier database: this stops them reinstating the direct debit but isn't apparently a barrier to them sending a bill.

SoreTween

  • Most of me survived the Pennine Bridleway.
Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #19 on: 06 February, 2021, 09:03:49 am »
Given the many recommendations for Octopus, I just did a comparison quote on the Octopus website.  I pay £69 a month on SO's "seasonal" SO Alder tarriff.  The estimates from Octopus, based on my last 12 months actual usage, range from £77 to £82 per month.

I too was motivated by all the recommendations & did a comparison. In my case I used a week's worth of 15 minute usage data logged by my solar pv controller to compare to the Agile tariff. Scottish Power came out 60p cheaper for the voles reduced to about 40p cheaper with standing charge. I'll repeat the work another 3 weeks (I only have data at that resolution going back a 7 days). If it stays the same there's no point changing now but once I get more pv installed 5.5p from Octopus will quickly overtake 4p from Scottish.
The other thing I must get round to doing is logging my pv data locally.
2023 targets: Survive. Maybe.
There is only one infinite resource in this universe; human stupidity.

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #20 on: 06 February, 2021, 07:52:49 pm »
Another raised tentacle for Octopus. Cheaper for us and greener.

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #21 on: 10 February, 2021, 11:02:23 pm »
Maybe I've had the other side of the coin. AVRO have at least answered emails and (eventually) phone calls where necessary when I didn't have an interweb. Prices are alright and I don't mind if they can't read EON's Gen1 dumb meters.

Above all else, please don't use nPower. They burned me badly in my first house many years ago with a gouging rate I didn't know any better about, and I will never forget it.
Cruzbike V2k, S40

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #22 on: 10 February, 2021, 11:18:40 pm »
nPower.

A criminal organisation from my perspective with no morals or ethics whatsoever.

Not with all the bargepoles in Holland tied end to end would I touch them.
Rust never sleeps

Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #23 on: 17 February, 2021, 04:59:41 pm »
Another raised tentacle for Octopus. Cheaper for us and greener.
Agile Octopoi here as well.

Sent from my STF-L09 using Tapatalk


Re: Recommend a energy supplier
« Reply #24 on: 18 February, 2021, 03:16:59 pm »
Also on the lookout. Just had a renewal from E.On, an exclusive offer to only raise it by 30%
Quote
Yearly cost
Your current tariff that ends on 3 April 2021   £362.27 Electricity   
Exclusive renewal offer - Switch to Fix Again 15 Months v7 on our website £482.82 Electricity   
I'm in credit by about £50 on that estimation, so I'm a bit pissed off that the largest part of the increase is in the standing charge, from under 6p a day to nearly 20.
I'm on an Economy 7 and 70% of my usage is at the night rate.  I've tried a couple of comparison sites, but there's a lot of fluff before you can make a genuine comparison.   
If anyone knows who offers a lower standing charge I'd be grateful.